The BC Wildfire Service said crews battling the Keremeos Creek Fire conducted a successful planned burn near the Olalla Creek Forest Service Road on August 11. UPDATE 2:30 p.m The BC Wildfire Service says it was able to make “good progress” over the weekend on containment lines around the Keremeos Creek Fire. Fire behavior remains relatively stable due to moderate temperatures and humidity today, fire officials added. This trend is expected to continue through Wednesday, when temperatures will begin to rise again. The fire is still mapped at 6,950 acres. Another aircraft is scheduled for the fire in the coming days to help assess hot spots near the perimeter of the fire. Most of the activity on Sunday occurred in the northwest and southwest over very steep terrain. “Nearby communities can still expect to see smoke around the perimeter of the fire in the coming weeks. This is common with large wildfires and smoke will continue to be visible until significant rainfall occurs over the fire,” BCWS said. While smoke rising from the burn zone is common, smoke coming from green trees outside the perimeter should be reported. There are currently 329 firefighters, 27 structure protection personnel, a liaison from the Lower Similkameen Indian Band, 17 helicopters and 22 pieces of heavy equipment. Evacuation notices and orders remain in effect. An interactive map of evacuation zones is here. ORIGINAL 5:30 AM Fire behavior in the Keremeos Creek Fire outside of Penticton remained relatively stable over the weekend. According to BC Wildfire Services, fire behavior was moderated by moderate temperatures and increased humidity on Saturday and Sunday. The fire remains steady along the west side of Highway 3A and the operational objectives remain mostly the same. The northwest side of the fire continues to be the most active part of the fire, suppression efforts are hampered by steep terrain that is inaccessible to crews and heavy equipment. From Keremeos Creek Road to Green Mountain Road, crews are putting out hot spots and removing flammable fuels 25 feet from the fire’s perimeter, a process known as blacklining. Along Olalla Creek Road and the highway, 3A crews are patrolling and establishing a 100-foot black line from the perimeter of the fire. Structure protection personnel continue to maintain established structure protection systems at Apex Mountain and Green Mountain Road. Lightning strike at Kamloops Fire Station BC Fire Service crews in the Lillooet Zone of Kamloops Fire Station have responded to 17 fires over the past four days. These new starts are a result of storm activity that moved into the area between August 10th and August 13th. “Thanks to the public’s quick detection of these new starts, our firefighters and aircraft were able to respond effectively. Six of these fires have been extinguished, four are under control and one is under control. Of the 17 new starts, all but from two The fires are estimated to be one hectare or less in size,” says Briana Hill, BCWS spokeswoman. The two fires that are larger than one hectare are classified as out of control and are burning at high elevations in inaccessible terrain in the Stein Valley. The remaining fires that are currently out of control are also burning on steep cliffs in difficult terrain that have no safe access or egress routes for ground personnel. Helicopters dump water to keep fire behavior down while fire officials assess these incidents and come up with response plans that don’t jeopardize the safety of responders. These fires do not currently threaten human life or other values. A BC fire service spokesman says 80 per cent of the 212 new fires started across the province since Wednesday were caused by lightning. Brianna Hill says the agency was well prepared and 69 percent of all those fired by the strikes are now classified as out, under control or in custody. The agency said in a statement that this is not unusual as August is typically an active month for lightning in the province, second only to July.
